Rupert Wyatt’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes was a critical and commercial success, but while Fox were keen for him to return for the sequel, the director felt the 2014 release date made things too tight, and eventually dropped out.

Wyatt has since shared his opinions with Collider on Matt Reeves’ Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, and explains where he might have done things differently…

“I thought it was beautifully directed,” says Wyatt, “an incredibly well-made film. It’s hard, you know, because I very much wanted to do the sequel. I was very passionate about doing the sequel and other films.”

“I think the fundamental thing I wanted to do, which I think the franchise will probably do – and I haven’t talked specifically to Matt or Mark Bomback, the writer, of where they’re going with this – but I would imagine the thing that they’re going to go to was the thing I was hoping to do with the sequel, which is go into the cities.”

“Evolve technically, sort of figure out the combustion engine, so in a way interact with our society. And for me, I found that fascinating, and I guess what Matt wanted to do – and obviously it was his first Apes film – was play out more the interim aspect of it. Keep them in the forest for longer and stuff, so that was the fundamental difference between our takes on it.”

Not that Wyatt is in any way bitter at having passed up on his chance to further shape the franchise…

“He’s his own filmmaker, I’m a different filmmaker, so it’s great he’s had success with that film and the fact that the franchise lives, that’s what we’re all hoping for. So for that, I was thrilled when I was watching it.”